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ONLINE POLL ^ Do you like the new football uniforms? Go to www.dailygamecock.com to vote. Results posted Friday. THBftiAMECOCK EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR Adam Beam DESIGN DIRECTOR COPY DESK CHIEF David Stagg Gabrielle Sinclair NEWS EDITOR VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Michael LaForgia Wes Wolfe THE MIX EDITOR SENIOR WRITER Meg Moore Kevin Fellner » IN OUR OPINION Pharmacy school neglected students It’s unclear whether graduate assistants at the College of Pharmacy are receiving a raw deal with their tuition supplements. There has been no official word from the College of Pharmacy, and the few students who will talk about the issue don’t want to have their names printed. What is certain is that graduate assistants were notified through an e-mail about a week and a half before school started that their tuition supplement had been reduced, forcing some students to The College of scramble to secure finances Pharmacy should to pay for their tuition, have told graduate We understand budget assistants about cuts, and we understand that tuition Supplement sometimes it is necessary to CUtS earlier, recIUce student tuition sup plements for graduate stu dents. But we take issue with the manner and the timeli ness of the notification. The college should have done better. Because students were notified so close to the start of school, they were not able to apply for various financial aid packages since the deadlines had already passed. Granted, there is a possibility the College of Pharmacy didn’t find out about the reduction until the last minute, but we find this unlikely. The e-mail sent to faculty members at the col lege from Dr. Joseph W. Kosh, director of graduate studies for the college, said tuition supplements would be eliminat ed by fall 2005. If this knowledge was available that far in advance, the college should have had some warning about the reductions for this year. An e-mail was a cold and impersonal way to break the news. The college could have held a meeting for graduate assistants and told them in person, explaining in detail why the cuts were being made and allowing students to ask ques tions. We hope other colleges will be sensitive to students’ needs when dealing with tuition, something every student, graduate or undergraduate, can lose sleen over. IT’S YOUR RIGHT Exercise your right to voice your opii Create message boards at www.daiiygamecock.com or send letters to the editor to gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu GAMECOCK CORivil^ i o If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. I ' I ABOUT THE GAMECOCK tunun . I Adam Beam DESIGN DIRECTOR David Stagg COPY DESK CHIEF Gabrielle Sinclair NEWS EDITOR Michael LaForgia ASST. NEWS EDITOR Jon Turner VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Wes Wolfe THE MIX EDITOR Meg Moore SPORTS EDITOR Jonathan Hillyard ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Daniel Kerr SENIOR WRITER Kevin Fellner PHOTO EDITOR Jason Steelman SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR Katie Kirkland PAGE DESIGNERS Erin Cline, Staci I Jordan, Jennifer Logan, " Chas McCarthy, Jessica Nielsen COPY EDITORS Jennifer Freeman, Anna Huntley, Steven Van Haren, Tia Lab, Jennifer Sitkowski, ’ Joey Wallace ONLINE EDITOR Brian Cope PUBLIC AFFAIRS Katie Miles, Jane Fielden TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 Columbia, S.C. 29208 Fax: 777-6482 -„-y CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. 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CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Bush has been consistently wrong ■ America should not stay committed to a policy that has failed Last week’s Republican Convention threw the spotlight on New York City just short of the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — a disaster remembered vividly by Americans and people all over the world that remains deeply shocking. To stage such a spectacle there was distasteful, to say the least. In any event, as George W. Bush told NBC, the events of Sept. 11 have defined his presidency. But they have done so for wrong reasons. “They will hear from us” was his reaction to the tragedy, instead of his considering why America inspired so much hatred in the first place. The World Trade Center, the definitive symbol of America’s political and economic dominance over international trade, and the Pentagon, which represents America’s unrivalled military power, were targeted for a reason. It is not enough to know who the “enemy” is, even though in this generalized “war against terrorism” we do not. More importantly, we must know why they became our enemy. An underlying reason is that American cultural imperialism, propagated through economic, political and military might, is a powerful force for change that is by no means wanted in all countries. It is ignorant and dangerously arrogant to -assume that democracy is DATDIPIf highest political state SECOND-YEAR of civilization HISTORY iiist because it EXCHANGE JUSt Decause 11 STUDENT is our own political system. Democracy will flourish not when forced but only when achieved through national self-determination. Until America’s leaders understand that it is this forceful approach and narrow-minded attitude that engenders hatred and until they alter the way they view and act in the world, terrorism cannot be effectively minimized. The nature of terrorism itself must be understood, top, before it is judged. I do not intend to excuse their actions, but it works both ways. Those who join the U.S. Army, for example, ultimately pledge to cause damage, to kill or even lay down their fives for their country. Just because they fight in a recognized institution, their actions are widely seen as legitimate. If, for example, you are a Palestinian fighting against the military might of Israel, how else are you to meet overwhelming force? The Palestinians cannot form an army of comparable capacity, so they have to use other means to fight for what they believe in. This conflict between Israel and Palestine is the key to the tension in the Middle East and to terrorism worldwide. America is deeply involved here and is potentially the only country with the means to turn the situation around, if its leaders have the foresight to impartially address the root causes and to strive through multilateral diplomacy to. find a solution. Bush was indeed a strong leader after Sept. 11. However, a wise leader would not stick steadfastly to a course of action once it had proved to be the wrong one. The ill-planned retaliatory assault on Afghanistan has left the country in ruin — highly dangerous, ridden with warlords and with a regrouping Taliban. It later provided an excuse to settle old scores in Iraq, which is currently a disaster of massive proportions. Both of these campaigns only perpetuate a negative image of America. There is no question that the world has been made less safe by these actions. Leadership must be held accountable when they have miscalculated. Otherwise it is Bush who will continue to be a weapon of mass destruction to a peaceful world order. IN YOUR OPINION American presence necessary in Iraq This letter is in response to Roger Keane’s letter (“Iraqi citizens living in terror after war,” Wednesday). Many of these professional soldiers are here in Iraq for their second tour of duty in a hostile place that is no doubt riddled with strife. These young men are here to protect the very rights that third year music student Roger Keane was exercising, such as his right to have and voice 'different opinions and choices. Hey, that’s fine. I will only discuss the whole issue of an American’s duty to support his or her commander in chief, despite any disagreement with facets of his decision making: I disagreed with President Clinton’s ethics, but I served under him and supported his decisions because I felt it was my duty as an American as well as a U.S. Marine. I won’t go into the politics of why we are here in Iraq because I consider myself a redneck lacking etiquette and unprepared to speak eloquently on such subjects, but I do know of about 3,000 individuals who died one sunny day back in 20Q1 on our home turf, which gives me plenty of reasons to keep this fight here on the turf of the enemy. If we do not keep this fight in Iraq, it will undoubtedly come back to the United States. By resisting the efforts of Uncle Sam to assist in installing a sensible government, the enemy is taking responsibility for the deaths of innocent Iraqis. Also, the war has not cost our nation 1,002 American lives. Those patriots saw it as their job, their duty to give their lives. They volunteered and gave their lives freely. Freedom has a flavor the protected often never know. Semper Fidelis. 1STLT. BRENT HAMPTON, U.S. MARINE CORPS On duty in Iraq Wolfe should look to facts, not vitriol I want to respond to Wes Wolfe’s column, (“Real GOP wasn’t on the podium,” Friday). Wolfe attempts to compare the entire GOP to some local southern legislator in this state who happens to be Republican. Very poor example. What one politician does for his or her constituency does not national party politics make. I don’t know of one Republican who doesn’t want to teach his or her kid about safe sex — about all the alternatives. However, we all know that there is no such thing as totally safe sex. That is why some politicians would like to stress abstinence more. But to say that all Republicans don’t like to teach about STDs and condoms is ridiculous. Last, but not least, is the topic of women’s issues Wolfe addresses. On equal pay he is absolutely wrong that women earn less now than they did before. A report issued on Jan. 30, 1999, stated that under Clinton, women made 75 cents on every male counterpart’s dollar. In an article on the Democratic Party Web site, it reads that women earn 77 cents on every man’s dollar under Bush. So what is the issue Jiere? To say that the GOP is somehow trying to deny women equal pay is irresponsible. Also, who said that women can’t have abortions? Not the GOP. Most of them don’t like it, but even the hard-liners, like Bush, have said they will not make an amendment repealing Roe v. Wade. My suggestion to Wolfe is to be a little less bitter and do a little more homework. DAVID HAMILTON Graduate student in the Moore School of Business Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. E-mail letters to gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777 7726 for more information. ^WINNERS AND SINNERS f 8 g ESPN College GameDay set to broadcast from HURRICANES After Charley and Frances, can we Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday. | get Ivan to go away? PRESIDENT CLINTON Quadruple bypass I CHECHEN TERRORISTS Since when did killing surgery goes off without a hitch. I over 300 children and adults get you what you want? BOSTON RED SOX The annual also-rans to the CLIFFSNOTES.COM Charges $5.99 a book while Yankees have won 18 of their past 20 games to pinkmonkey.com offers the same quality of notes for lead the AL wildcard race. free. Wont you mind your freaking manners? ■ Saying hello and being nice shouldn’t be that difficult for people Where’s courtesy these days? Apparently, it’s gone down the proverbial toilet. Everywhere I look on campus, I see a lack of courtesy that makes me cry like a schoolgirl. Professors cut off pedestrians in tricked-out Cadillacs, students make drug deals STEVEN 7hout .. I ..... . pleasant thank VAN HAREN you» after each THIRD-YEAR transaction and ENGmlNG SqUirr£lS mdely STUDENT clog sidewalks with their insolent pitter patter and soulless eyes. In high school, a melodramatist’s wet dream, people got bent out of shape when someone didn’t wave to them in between classes. I always laughed at this. Interpersonal communication was for losers. At least that’s what I told Gerald, my sock puppet and life partner. But when I got to USC, I realized that courtesy sits somewhere behind a football player’s GPA in terms of importance. College professors are either well adjusted, quirky people or discourteous, quirky people. I once had a physics professor who, on the first day of class, said, “Hi,” when he walked in but for the rest of the semester never made another attempt at a courteous exchange. He came off like some poor guy with a belittling, 300-pound wife named Jackie with curlers in her hair and a constant need to shout and sweat. Students ain’t much better. I’m talking about the whored-up debutantes with names like Savannah who slap their boyfriends when they fail to wear enough collared shirts and khaki shorts, the ones that don’t acknowledge that a person is holding a door open for them when said person’s arms are loaded with books and is in a hurry himself. I’ve seen you, Savannah — you aren’t just some Hollywood stereotype: You do exist. run me designer wig rrom your eyes. OK, all you cynics, right now you’re probably thinking, “Egad, man, you’re too damn sensitive! People (and squirrels) don’t have to be nice to you or to anyone else! Being obnoxious is my right as an American citizen! I can’t stop yelling!” To that 1 say, in a British accent, “Please bend over thusly, hands placed firmly on your ankles like so, and have sexual intercourse with yourself in a degrading fashion. Yes, that’s it, you’re doing a bang-up job — no pun intended, ol’ boy! Splendid.” No, people don’t have to be nice to each other, but that’s what human beings have the ability to do. Courtesy separates us from the animal kingdom. If you never bother to be courteous, I promise you’ll end up alone with only that stupid chip on your shoulder to keep you company. We’re all taught to say “please” and “thank you” for a reason — no one likes a person with a fundamental lack of decency. 1 could be a righteous bastard, too. 1 could slam doors in peoples’ faces, cover every Columbia crosswalk with my car, never say “please,” never say “thank you,” and treat the 200 people with whom I interact every day like dirt. Yes, 1 could be Roseanne. But I think I’ll save my rudeness for people who deserve it. People don’t like discourteous people, but they do have a soft spot in their hearts for nice people who can morph into discourteous people to rag on the real discourteous people and help pull courtesy out of the proverbial toilet. Thanks for your time.